Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is widely known. This therapy is predominately used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as well as other disorders. CPAP therapy is used to deliver pressurized air, to a patient's airway. In general, conventional CPAP systems include a bedside “generator” that operates off either wall current or a large external battery. This generator is a blower or pump that creates a supply of pressurized air. A physician would typically prescribe a maximum CPAP in the range of 5–15 cm of water to treat the disorder. For patient comfort, the generator device may “ramp up” to the prescribed pressure over a period of several minutes.
The bedside generator is connected to the patient via a long flexible hose that transports the pressurized air from the generator to an interface worn by the patient. The term of art in this industry for the mask-like portion of the system is “interface” and the term is generic for oral, oral-nasal, or nasal designs. There are a wide variety of interfaces that are used and preferred by patients. It is important that the interface fit the patient securely to deliver pressurized air without substantial leakage.